With its unique ability to attack industrial control systems, Stuxnet is the first computer virus, or "worm", that causes real-life harm.

Security experts think the Stuxnet was created with the explicit aim of disabling an Iranian uranium enrichment facility.

That seemingly geo-political aim, plus the sophistication of the virus, have led to speculation that Stuxnet may have been created by a government.

ABOVE: A realistic looking but bogus "Unicef" website set up by scamsters in the wake of the Haiti quake (click for larger image).

Security software company Symantec is reminding New Zealanders that with natural disasters comes email scams.

Fraudsters are quick to prey on people’s emotions, with bogus emails and phony websites devised to steal what should have been charitable donations.

Apple's free iPhone OS 4.0 software upgrade, unveiled by chief executive Steve Jobs at an Apple developer event today and due this winter, delivers the long-coveted ability to run more than one software program at once.

Such "multitasking" (already available for users of RIM BlackBerry, Google Android and high-end Nokia phones) has long been top of iPhone users wish-list, now that other original iPhone deficiency, such as the lack of cut-and-paste and laptop tethering, have been addressed by previous OS upgrades.

The huge amount of often outlandish worldwide media attention on the Tiger Woods' car crash has created an opportunity for spammers to direct users to malicious websites, antivirus provider Symantec has reported.

Spammers are slamming social networking sites such as Facebook to get personal information, according to Symantec’s security response report.

Symantec said spammers were using a Trojan to entice users into revealing personal details. The Trojan is capable of downloading password stealers, bots, rootkits, backdoors and misleading applications.

Spammers are misleading users by sending false Facebook notification emails about their passwords.  Along with the message is a .zip file that contains Trojan.Bredolab.

Symantec advises consumers to:

 The world’s two leading anti-virus software vendors McAfee and Symantec have settled a case with the US Attorney General after renewing customers’ software subscriptions without the customers’ knowledge or authorisation.

Under the settlement announced by US Attorney General Andrew Cuomo in New York, the companies will pay a combined $US750,000 fine as well as offering detailed disclosures to consumers about subscription terms and renewal.